iPod
iPod Battery FAQ
Dave Schroeder, an Apple Distinguished Educator, has posted the quite sensible and easy-to-follow iPod Battery FAQ. Hopefully this will go a long way toward disproving any falsehoods raised by those spreading "dirty secrets" about the iPod. (via MacInTouch)
Yeah, a standard port would have been nice
And now we have experienced the other druther of the 3G iPods: the non-standard dock connector. I get to work today, pull out the new iPod, and then realize I have no dock here and I left the FireWire-to-dock cable at home, connected, appropriately enough, to the iPod dock on my desk. So the old 5 GB iPod, which was still in my bag, is happily pumping out tunes now...
New iPod
So I had long ago outgrown my original 5 GB iPod, but I lived with moving music off and on to it from my Mac as my tastes dictated. An early Christmas present from my wonderful wife, however, has yielded a 40 GB third-generation iPod. Now I have to grow in to the new little white wonder on my hip--I only have about 15 GB of music ripped to MP3 format. Using iSync, my latest "phischpod" carries my contact and calendar info, and I've started playing around with the Notes function. I do miss the input ability I had with a Palm device, and I know I'm not alone. I lived in the Memo function of my Palm, so maybe the Belkin Voice Recorder would help alleviate the input druthers of the 'Pod. In other news, I am waffling over how to sheath my iPod. It will either be this or that. Thoughts and comments on this issue are welcome.
You want to jack in to my what?
Unlike Lee, I don't think I'd appreciate this new trend of non-verbal, can-I-listen-to-your-iPod-for-a-moment "communication" with perfect strangers. With someone I know, even on an acquaintance level, I'd feel much more generous. I've known my new boss less than two weeks, and we've already listened in to one another's iPods. But we're the only two people in our department, both total Mac heads, both love our iPods, he's a major music geek, etc., etc. We have a lot of stuff in common outside of our work relationship. But I would likely balk if someone just walked up to me on the street and wanted to plug in...
Paying for iPod color?
I have to wonder at the prospect of paying for a professional paint job for one's iPod or PowerBook. Granted, the iPod job only costs fifty bucks, but how many different colored skins could you buy for your iPod for fifty bucks? And the skins are removable, plus generally offer other features (non-skid, for example). I know it's not a full-blown paint job, but you can get cover panels for your PowerBook. Not to mention that having your iPod or 'Book painted will void your AppleCare warranty. (via MacMinute)
Xtremity
XtremeMac has released their Xtremity iPod Case System. I like the ease of transition from being carried on the belt to popping it in to a car mount, to just having it on the desk. Something else to look in to when I add a new iPod to my arsenal. (via MacMinute)
Change your iPod battery
Thinking that my iPod's battery may be dying--it is an original 5 GB model--I've been looking around for replacements from third parties. The fine folks at iPodbattery.com have even elected to show you how to disassemble your iPod to make the battery swap. Kudos!
iPod as big as the Mac?
It's certainly looking that way to Apple. The iPod is the highest-volume item the company moves right now, with 1.4 million sold.
''It's something that's as big a brand to Apple as the Mac,'' is how Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, puts it. ''And that's a pretty big deal.''